Machine for straightening wire



Aug. 3 1926.

W. F. SCHULZ MACHINE FOR STRAIGHTENING WIRE Filed latch 31, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Q sh Q M 5% JM avwewtoz Aug, 3 1926. 1,594,634

w. F. SCHULZ MACHINE boa STRAIGHTENING WIRE Filed March 51. 1923 4 Sheets-5mm: 2

Aug. 3 1926.

W. F. SCHULZ momma: FOR STRAIGHTENING WIRE Filed March 31 1923 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 avwemfcoz 7 A A flame/$6! v M Patented A g. 3,1926.

UNITED STATES PATIENT 01 1-101,"

WALTER SOHULZ, OF SHARON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB TO TR'O'SCON STEEL COM- PANY. OI YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO, A CORPORATION 01 MICHIGAN.

FOR STRAIGH'I'ENING WIRE.

Application filed March 31, 1923. Serial No. 628,988.

a machine adapted to accom lish'the result .above referred to which mac ine is of relatively simple construction and of relativelysmall and compact form, requiring a mimmum of power for its operation.

The invention consists primarily of a plurality of annular and independently rotatable elemeuts or rings arranged in staggered or offset relation; and adapted to engage the wire at spaced points therealong,

which elements are bodily revolved about an axis which is substantially co-incident with the path of the wire. The effect of the rolling engagement of these revolving and independently rotatable annular elements upon the wire passing therethrough is-to remove all irregularities, such as kinks, or bends therefrom, and to render the wire perfectly straight.

' The invention also comprises the various other features and constructions which will be more fully pointed outhereinafter and clearly set forth in the appended claims.

One embodiment of the present invention is illustrated o in the accompanying drawings, in which 7 Figure l is a perspective view of the straightening machine showing the housings or supports for the wire engaging elements in the ositions they assume before the wir is fedt irough the machine,

Figure 2 is a similar perspective view showing said housings in the inclined posi tions they assume when the wire is being fed through the machine,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the main supporting element of the machine and parts carried thereby,

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of said element showing two only of said housings,

Figure 5 isan end view of the parts shown in Figure 41,

Figure 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the main supporting element, showing in detail one of the housings for the wire engaging elements, and the supporting yokes therefor, and

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Fi e is a vertical sectional" view of the ousmg and wire engaging element shown in Figure 6.

In the particular embodiment of the inventlon shown in the accompanying drawings the improved wire straightening machine comprises a main supporting element 1, which comprises end heads 2 and 3 which are connected by means of longitudinally extending parallel and spaced apart side members or webs 4 forming between them a central space 5 within which are located the housings or supports for the wire engaging elements hereinafter referred to. Formed integrally with the end heads 2 and '3 and extending longitudinally therefrom, are the shaft portions 6 and 7 which are respectively rot'atably supported in bearings 8 and 9 (Figs. 1 and 2) which may be of 'any suitable or desired construction. The main supporting element 1 may be rotated at a suitable speed by any convenient means which is not specifically shown in the present application, as it forms no part of the present invention. It may be stated, however, that in the particular embodiment shown the supporting member is adapted to be rotated by means of a spiral gear secured on the shaft portion 7 within the bearing 9 and meshing with another spiral gear on a shaft 10 also rotatably supported in said bearing 9 and which may be driven by any suitable driving means associated therewith, such, for example, as an electric driving motor or a belt drive. Each of the shaft portions 6 and 7 and each end head 2 and 3 is formed with a longitudinally extending bore 11 through which bores the wire to be straightened, and whichis indicated at 12 in Figs. 1 and 2, is adapted to be passed, or to be fed by feeding means of any suitable or 'known kind, such, for

example, as feed rolls. The feeding of the wire may be continuous or intermittent and it is immaterial whether the wire is pushed or pulled through the straightening machine. The bearings 8 and 9 may be sup: ported upon any suitable base or foundation structure. It will be seen that the main supporting element is rotated about an axis 105 spaced points along the path of the wire 12, are a. plurality of housm 13 which are shown in detail in Figs. 6 and? Each housing is made up of two half-housings 14, 15 as shown particularly in Fig. 7, which are secured t ther by means of screws 16 as shown in ig. 6', or by means of bolts 17 as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. Concentrically arranged within each housing 13 is an annular wire engaging'element or ring 18 which may be formed of tool steel suitably hardened and ground and provided with arounded inner periphery as indicated at 19. The annular wire engaging element 18 is held between clamping rings 20 which are secured together by means of screws 21 which pass through apertures in the wire engaging element. These clamping rings are provided with outwardly extending flanges 22 between which, and surrounding the clamping rings and wire engaging element, is secured an inner race member 23 of an anti-friction bearing 24. The halfhousings 14 and 15 are also provided with inwardly extending flanges 25 between which is secured the outer race member 26 of the anti-friction bearing, and between the race members 23 and 26 are arranged suitably anti-friction elements such as balls 27. If desired, suitable grease retaining and guard rings 28 and 29 may be secured in place between the flanges 22 and 25. It will be seen that with this construction the wire engaging element 18 while carried or supported by the housing 13, and held in the plane of the housing, is by reason of the antifriction bearing 24 capable of com lete freedom of rotative movement relative y to said housing. a

Each half-housing 14 and 15 is provided at opposite sides thereof with a laterally extending semi-cylindrical portion 28 and over each pair of these semi-cylindrical portions is forced a sleeve 29 so as to form the opposite laterally projecting. trunnions or pivots 30 and 31. These trunnions or pivots 30 and 31 are supported within bearings 32 and 33 formed in or carried by yoke members 34 and 35, which extend transversely across the central space 5 of the main supporting element 1 above and below said space, and are provided at their opposite ends with flanges 36 which rest upon the side members or webs 4 of said main supporting element and are secured thereto by means of screws 37 as shown in Fig. 3, or by means of bolts 38, as shown in the remaining figures, passing through said webs.

The bearing 33 of the yoke 35 in which the trunnion 31 is arranged, is formed by the interior surface or bore of a sleeve 39 which is exteriorly screw-threaded and is arranged within a correspondingly threaded aperture 40 formed in the yoke 35. The

sleeve 39 at its inner end bears against the outer end it is formed with a. hexagonal or other shaped head 41 by means of which it -may be turned. The sleeve 39 is held in place relatively to the trunnion 31by means of a disk 42 and a screw 43 engaging with a threaded aperture formed between the semi-cylindrical portions 28 of the trunnion. The yoke 35 is slit for a distance outwardly from the aperture 40 therein, as indicated at 44 particularly in Figs. 3 and 4, and the slit partsof the yoke so formed are adapted to bedrawn together to grip the threaded sleeve 39 by means of a bolt 45 passing through said slit portions of the yoke.

It will be understood from the construction described that the housing 13 by reason of the trunnions 30 and 31 is capable of swinging movement about the axis of the trunnions which axis is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the main supporting element 1, and that the housing being sup ported in yokes 34 and 35 secured to the side members or webs 4 of the main supporting element, also rotates with said element about its axis of rotation. It will also be not-ed, particularl from Fig. 6 in which the axis of rotation o the main supporting element is indicated at A, that the axis B about which the housing '13 swings is offset from the axis of rotation A, and furthermore that the axis or center C of the wire engaging element or ring 18 is also. ofiset from the axis of rotation A, so as to bring the inner periphery 19 of said wire engaging element relatively close to the axis A at one part thereof. The offsetting of the axis or center C of the wire engaging element is obtained, in the particular construction described, due to the fact that vthe inner surface of the yoke member 35, against which surface the adjacent side of the housing 13 may abut, as shown in Fig. 6, is closer to the axis of rotation A than is the inner surface of the opposed oke member 34, and it will be seen that by oosening the bolt 45 and rotating the threaded sleeve 39 within the threaded aperture 40 of the yoke member 35, the posi-' tion of the housing with reference to the" yoke member. may be varied and thereby the extent of the offsetting of the axis or center C of the wire engaging element with reference. totheaxis of rotation A correspondinglyyaried. This adjustment varies the dis.- tance from the axis of rotation A of the adjacent part of the inner periphery 19 of the wire engaging element. The threaded sleeve 39 may be clamped in the adjusted position by tightening the bolt 45. i

It will be noted from Figs. 1 to 5 that the arrangement ofthe yoke members 34 and 35 for each housing is the reverse of the arrangement of the yoke members of the next adjacent housing at either side thereof. That is to say, referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, the housing at the extreme left of the figure has 1ts oke member 35 above the webs 4 and its yo e member 34 below said' webs, while the next housing has its yoke member 35 below the webs 4 and its yoke member 34 above sald webs. The third and fifth housings have their oke members arranged the same as the first housing and the fourth housing has its yoke members arranged the same as the second housing. The result of this alternately reversed arrangement of the yoke membersof the alternate housings, is that the axes or centers of thew-ire engaging elements are alternately offset to opposite sides of the axis of rotation A about which the housings rotate. Thus in Fig. 6, C indicates the axes or centers of the wire engaging elements of the second and fourth housings from the leftin Fig. 1, these axes bemg offset above the axis of rotation A, while C indicates the axes or c'efiters of the wire engaging elements of the first, third and fifthhousings, these axes being-offset below the axis of rotation A.

It has been, stated that the axis 3 about which the housing. 13 may swing .or turn is offset with respect to the axis of rotation' A, and the arrangement "of the yokes 34 and 35 of alternate housings is also reversed in this respect, so that the axes about which alternate housings may swing or turn are offset to opposite sides-of the axis of rotation. ,This 'is'shown' more particularly in Figs. 4. and 5, but it is indicated also in Fig. 6 in which B indicates the axes about which the second and fourth housings from the left in Fig. 1 may swing, while B indicates the axes about which the first, third and fifth housings may swing. It will also be noted from Fig. 6 that with this arrangementthe axes or centers G and C .are also offset. somewhat with respect to a plane passing-through the axis of rotation A and parallel with the axes B and B. Only one housing and the yokes 34 and 35 thereof are shown in Fig. 6 but the arrangement of the alternate housings and yokes thereof is indicated clearly in Fig. 5.

The position which the housings 13 normally assume when the wire is not being fed through-l the machine is indicated in Fig. '1, in which the housings lie in substantially parallelplancs transverse to the axis of rotation,;and if the wire 12 is inserted in the machine with the housings in this position the wire will engage with the wire engaging elements at staggered points al'- ternately at opposite sides of the axis of rotation, such engagement, of course. occurring at those parts of the inner peripheries 19 of the wire engaging elements which are brought closest to the axis of retation due to the offsetting of the centers of the wire engaging elements. This will be clear from Fig. 6 when it is remembered that the axis or path of movement of the wire is substantiall co-incident with the axis of rotation A, t e approximate position of the wire being indicated'b the dotted lines. It will also be noted t t with the parts in the fpositions indicated in Fig. 6 the points 0 engagement *are alternately above and below the axis of rotation, and offset with respect to the axes B and B about which the housings may swing or turn, and are intermediate these axes.

If now the wire is advanced through the machine it will by engagement with the inner peripheries of the wire engaging elements turn or swing the housings '13 about their axes B and .B so that thesehousings lie in planes which intersect the axis of rotation, or the path of the wire, at an inclination, as indicated in Fig. 2 and as shown approximately by the dotted line positions of the housings in Fig. 4. As the points of engagement of the wire with the wire engaging elements are intermediate the axes B and B and thus in effect ofiset in different directions from'these axes, the housings will be turned to lie in planes inclined alternately in opposite directions with respect to the axis of rotation, as clearly indicated in Figs. 2 and 4-.

When the main supporting element 1 is rotated about its axis of rotation, the housings 13 and with them, the wire engaging elements will be bodily revolved about the axis of rotation, which is co-incident with. the path of the wire, and as the wire engaging elements are capable of complete freedom of rotation relatively to the housings 13, these elements will in effect roll upon the exterior surface .of the wire, the

from the machine is-perfectly straight and true.

For some applications of the straightening machine the wire engaging elements may be located in the angular position such as shown in Fig. 2, in which case these elements will serve the double purpose of straightening and feeding the wireat the same time, the

speed of feeding being dependent upor. the degree of angularity, the circumference of the wire and the speed of revolution of the supporting'element 1.

It is, of course, to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the particular details of construction herein described and illustrated as these maybe varied in many ways without departing from the essential passes'of materially greater diameter than the diameter of the wire, and each occupying a position such that a point on the peripheral wall of said opening is located at a fixed distancefrom the axis of rotation substantially equal to the radius of the wire, and means for holding the wire engaging "members in said positions and for rotating the same about said axis.

2. A machine for straightening wire, which comprises a plurality of wire engaging members surrounding the path of the wire, spaced apart along said path and rotatable about a common axis substantially co-incident with'said path, each of said-members having an opening through which the wire passes of materially greater diameter than the diameter of the wire, and each occupying a position such that a point on the peripheral wall of said opening is located at a fixed distance from the axis of rotation sub-- stantially equal to the radius of the wire. and means for holding the wire engaging members in said positions and for rotating the same about said axis, each wire engaging member having freedom of rotative movement about its axis relatively to said holding meansf 3. A machine for straightening wire, which comprises a plurality of elements spaced apart along the path of the wire and rotatable about a common axis substantially co-incident with said path, means for supporting said elements and rotating the same about said axis, and a. plurality of wire engaging members each having an opening through which the wire passes of materially greater diameter than the diameter of the wire, and each held by one of said elements in a position such that a point on the peripheral wall of said opening is located at a fixed distance from the axis of rotation substantially equal to the radius of the wire.

4. A machine for straightening wire, which comprises a plurality 'of' elements spaced apart along the path of the wire and rotatable about a common axis substantially co-incident with said path, means for supporting said elements and rotating the same about said axis, and a plurality of wire engaging memberseach having an opening through which the wire passes of materially greater diameter than the diameter of the wire, and each held by one of said elements .a fixed distance from the axis of rotation substantially equal to the radius of the wire, each wire engaging member being mounted in the corresponding element so as to be capable of rotative movement about the axis of the opening therein.

5. A machine for straightening wire, comprising a plurality of elements spaced apart along thepath of the wire and rotatable about a common axis substantially co-incident with said path, and each swingable about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and a plurality of annular wire engaging elements each carried by one of said rotatable elements and having freedom of rotative movement relatively thereto.

6. A machine for straightening wire, comprising a plurality of elements spaced apart along the path of the wire and rotatable about a common axis substantially co-inci dent with said path, and each swingable about an axis perpendicular to and offset from the axis of rotation, and a plurality of annular wire engaging elements each carried by one of said rotatable elements and having freedom of rotative movement relatively thereto.

7'. A machine for straightening wire, comprising a plurality of elements spaced apart along the path of the wire and rotatable about a common axis substantially co-incident with said path and also swingable about parallel axes perpendicular to and offset to opposite sides of the axis of rotation, and a plurality of annular wire engaging-elements each carried by one of said rotatable elements and having freedom of rotative movement relatively thereto.

8. A machine for straightening wire, comprising a plurality of elements spaced apart along the path of the wire and rotatable about a common axis substantially co-incident with said path and each swingable about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and a plurality of annular wire engaging elements each carried by one of said rotatable elements with its axis ofi'set relatively to the axis of rotation and having freedom of rotative movement relatively to said rotatable element.

9. A machine for straightening wire, comprising a plurality of elements spaced apart along the path of the wire and rotatable about a common axis substantially co-incident with said path and also swingable about parallel axes perpendicular to and offset to opposite sides of the axis of rotation, and a plurality of annular wire engaging elements each carried by one of said rotatable elements and having freedom of rotative movement relatively thereto, the alternate wire engaging elements having a common axis offset to one side of the axis of rotation, and the intermediate wire engaging elements having a common axis offset to the opposite side of said axis of rotation.

10. A machine for straightening wire, comprising supporting means rotatable about an axis substantially co-incident with the path of the wire, and a plurality of wire engaging elements in the form of relatively thin flat rings through which the wire passes, each having an internal diameter materially greater than that of the wire, said elements being carried by said supporting means with their axes ofi'set definite fixed equal distances from the axis of rotation and spaced apart along said path.

11. A machine for straightening wire, comprising supporting means rotatable about an axis substantially co-incident with the path of the wire, and a plurality of wire engaging elements in the form of relatively thin fiat rings through which the wire passes, each having an internal diameter materially greater than that of the wire, said elements being carried by said supporting means with their axes oifset definite fixed equal distances in different directions relatively to the axis of rotation and spaced apart along said path, each element being mounted so as to have freedom of rotative movement relatively to said supporting means.

12. A machine for straightening wire, comprising supporting means rotatable about an axis substantially .co-incident with the path of the wire, and a plurality of ring shaped wire engaging elements through which the wire passes carried by said supporting means in eccentric relation to said axis and spaced apart along said path, each element being mounted to turn freely about an axis perpendicular to the axis of rotation and to have freedom of rotative movement relatively to said supporting means.

13. A machine for straightening wire, comprising supporting means rotatable about an axis substantially co-incident with the path of the wire, and a plurality of annular wire engaging elements carried by said supporting means and spaced apart along said path, each element bein mounted to turn about an axis perpendicu ar to and ofi'set from the axis of rotation and to have freedom of rotative movement relatively to said supporting means.

14. A machine for straightening wire, comprising .supporting means rotatable about an axis substantially co-incident with the path of the wire, and a plurality of annular wire engaging element's carried by said supporting means and spaced apart along said path, said elements being mounted to turn "about parallel axes per-v pendicular to and alternately offset to opposite sides of the axis of rotation, and to ave freedom of rotative movement relatively to said supporting means.

15. A machine for straightening wire, comprising supporting means rotatable about an axis substantially co-incident with the path of the wire, and a plurality of annular wire engaging elements carried by said supporting means and spaced apart along said path, the alternate elements having their axes offset to one side of the axis of rotation, and they intermediate elements having their axes offset to the opposite side of said axis, said elements being mounted to turn about parallel axes perpendicular to and alternately offset to opposite sides of the axis of rotation, and to have freedom of rotative movement relatively to said supporting means.

16. A machine for strai htening wire, comprising a plurality of in ependently rotatable, wire engaging elements of materially greater internal diameter than the wire arranged in spaced apart relation and all of them having their centers ofiset equidistantly in difierent radial directions with respect to the path of the wire sufliciently to bring the interior surfaces of said elements into engagement with the wire to be straightened, and means for revolving all of said elements bodily about an axis substantially co-incident with the path of the wire, to cause said elements to have rolling engagement with the surface of said wire. 7

17. A machine for strai htening wire, comprising a plurality of independently rotatable, ring shaped wire engaging elements through which the wire asses arranged in Spaced apart relation albng the path of the wire in planes intersecting said path at an inclination, and means for revolving said elements bodily about an axis substantially co-incident with the path of the wire.

18. A machine for straightening wire, comprising a plurality of independently rotatable, wire engaging elements in the form of relatively thin flat rings of greater internal diameter than the wire arranged in spaced apart relation and having their centers ofi'set equidistantly in difi'erent radial directions with respect to the path of the wire to bring points on their interior surfaces into positions to engage the wire, said elements being arranged in planes intersecting said path. at an inclination, and means for revolving said elements bodily about an axis substantially co-incident with the path of the wire.

19. A machine for straightening wire, comprising a plurality of annular wire engaging elements arranged in spaced apart relation along the path of the wire, each element being mounted for independent rotation and for movement about an. axis percomprising a plurality of annual wire en-' gagingelements arranged in spaced apart relation along the path of the wire, said elements being mounted for independent rotation and for movement about axes perpendicular to andalternately offset to opposite sides of said path and having thelr centers offset equidistantly in difierent radial directions with respect to said path, and means for revolving said elements bodily about an axis substantially co-incident with said path.

22. A machine for straightening wire, comprising a plurality of supportlng ments arranged in spaced apart re ation along the path of the wire and mounted to turn about axes perpendicular to and offset from said path, a plurality of annular wire'engaging elements carried by said supporting elements and each freely rotatable with respect to its supporting element, and means for revolving said elements bodily about an axis substantially co-incident with the path of the wire.

23. A machine for straightening wire,-

comprising a main supporting means, a plurality of supporting elements arranged in spaced apart relation along the path of the wire and each having oppositely pro jecting trunnions mounted in said support- 1ng means so that said elements may turn about axes perpendicular to said path, a plurality of ring shaped wire engaging elements of larger internal diameter than the wire carried by said supporting elements with their centers oflset equidistantly in different radial directions with respect to said path and each freely rotatable with respect to its supporting element, and means for revolving said supporting means bodily about an axis substantially co-incident with the path of the wire.

24. A machine for straightening wire, com rising a main supporting member rotata 1e about an axis substantially co-incident with the path of the wire, a plurality of supporting elements carried by said supporting member and arran ed in spaced apart relation along the pat of the wire,

ele-

and a plurality of ring shaped wire engaging elements of than the wire earned b said supporting elements and positioned thereby with the axes eater internal diameter of all of them ofiset equal distances in difin spaced apart relation along the path of the wire, each of said supporting elements being pivotally carried by an upper and lower pair of said brackets for movement about axes perpendicular to said path, and a plurality of annular wire engaging elements carried by said supporting elements and each freely rotatable with respect to its supporting element.

26. A machine for straightening wire, comprising a main supporting member rotatable about an axis substantially co-incident with the path of the wire, a plurality of supporting elements arranged in spaced apart relation along the path of the Wire, said supporting elements being pivotally carried by said main supporting member for movement about axes perpendicular to and alternately offset to opposite sides of said path, and a plurality of annular wire engaging elements carried .by said supporting elements and each freely rotatable with respect to its supporting element.

27. A machine for straightening wire, comprising a plurality of ring shaped wire engaging elements of greater internal diameter than the wire arranged in spaced apartv relation along the path of the wire, and in such eccentric relation to said path that a point on the interior surface of each element is positioned a distance from said axis substantially equal to the radius of the wire, means for revolving said elements bodily about an axis substantlally co-incident with the path of the wire, and an anti-frictionbearlng mounting for each element rendering the same freely rotatable.

28. A machine for straightening wire, comprising a plurality of supporting elements arranged in spaced relation along the path of the wire and each surrounding said path, a lurality of ring shaped wire engaging e ements of greater internal diameter than the wire carried by said supporting elements, with the axes of all of them spaced equal distances in different directions from the said path, an anti-friction of greater internal diameter than the wire arranged in spaced apart relation and having their centers offset equidistantly in different radial directions with respect to the path of the wire, means operative to move said wire engaging elements to vary the distance of the centers thereof from said path, and means for revolving said elements bodily about an axis substantially co-incident with the path of the wire. 30. A machine for straightening wire, comprising a plurality of supporting elements arranged inspaced apart relation along the path of the wire and each surrounding said ;path, a plurality of ring shaped wire engaging e ements of greater internal diameter than the wire carried by said supporting elements with their centers ofiset equidistantly in difl'erent radial directions with respect to said path and each freely rotatable with respect to its supporting element, means operative to move said supporting elements to vary the distance of the centers of the wire engaging elements from said path, and means for revolving said elements bodily about an axis substantially co-incident with the path of the wire. 31. A machine for straightening wire, comprising a plurality of supporting elements arranged in spaced apart relation along the path of the wire and mounted to turn about axes perpendicular to said path, means operative to adjust said supporting elements along said axes, a plurality of ring shaped wire engaging elements of greater internal diameter than the wire carried by said supporting elements and each freely rotatable with respect to its supporting element, and means for revolving said elements bodily about an axis substantially coincident with the path of the wire.

32. A machine for straightening wire, comprising an elementrotatable about an axis substantially co-incident with the path of the wire, a plurality of relatively thin flat disc-like wire engaging elements carried by said rotatable element and freely rotatable relatively thereto, and each adapted tohave substantiall point contact with the wire, and means or adjusting said elements toward or from said path.

A machine for straightening wire, comprising a plurality of supporting ele' ments arranged in spaced apart relation along the path of the wire and mounted to turn about axes perpendicular to-said path, a plurality of relatively thin flat disc-like wire engaging elements carried by said supporting elements, and each adapted to have substantially point contact with the wire, and means for bodily revolving said supporting elements about an axis substantially co-incident with said path.

34. A machine for straightening wire,

comprising a plurality of supporting elements arranged in spaced apart relation along the path of the wire and mounted to turn about axes perpendicular to and offset from said path, a plurality of wire engaging elements carried by said supporting ele ments, and means for bodily revolving said supporting elements about an axis substantially co-incident with "said path.

35. A machine for straightening wire, comprising a plurality of supporting elements arranged in spaced apart relation along the path of the Wire and mounted to turn about axes perpendicular to and alternately offset to opposite sides of said path, a plurality of wire engaging elements carried by said supporting elements, and means for bodily revolving said supporting elements about an axis substantially co-incident with said path.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

, WALTER F. SCHULZ. 

